“1964”... The Tribute concerts at Red Rocks every August. Beatles Day at the Senior Center in 2004 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Ed Sullivan appearance. Bluegrass jam sessions at Avogadro’s Number in Fort Collins. Late nights reading aloud from our novels. Karaoke nights at the Office in Loveland. Road trips to Arizona as a kid. Playing in the snow as an even smaller kid.
In response to "What was the most fun you ever had with L. Neil?"
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One day, back in December of 1989, I got born, and this curly-haired guy was there with my mom. ❤️😊
In response to "How did you first meet L. Neil?"
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Neil was uniquely talented, and a man treasured by his wife and daughter. It was a genuine honor to have known him.
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2016, Mile Hi Con, Aurora Colorado
Libertarian Futurist Society presents Lifetime Achievment award to L. Neil Smith
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Mr. Smith changed my life with his writing, and for that I owe him my thanks. Even though we never met, I will miss him.
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2004, Freedom Summit 2004 Phoenix
Neil with (maybe rep from LP?)
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2004, Freedom Summit 2004 Phoenix
The Smiths with Mike Dugger and Mark (?)
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One of my favorite people to interview back in the day. May his work be eternal
4
For days I've struggled with what to say. I guess I'll just say this:
I wish solace for his family and friends. I am so sorry for your loss!He is a very large part of who I am today; such an inspiration to me. I owe him more than I can explain. He always made me feel like I mattered-- that my opinions mattered. I miss him.
I also notice he was quite the collector of "Kent"s.
3
How does one acknowledge a person whom you've known of and respected for 40 years, been an online friend and correspondent of for 10 years, but never met in person?
Cathy and Rylla, it's been a pleasure to get to know Neil through correspondence and TLE since I found and sent him an interesting quote from Albert Gallatin (the one on our side of the Probability Broach). Thank you for sharing him with the world and keeping his legacy alive, And please, don't be strangers. My prayers and condolences are with you.
6
I've been thinking for 2 days what I'd like to write about L. Neil. Beyond how much I loved his novels, and how funny and thoughtful he was, and his wonderfully simpatico spirit. As a newbie writer of SF short stories, I remember how shocked I was when he said he never expected to win a Hugo because of his politics. It seemed to me a prediction that the Left would become more powerful in the SF world over the years, and sadly, it was spot-on. Book agents will tell you (as they told me) that there is nothing so hard to sell as books with truly far-reaching ideas. Though Neil is an heir of Heinlein, his stories somehow became ahead of their time, swept under the tidal wave of Leftism now drowning our country. Neil was and will always be a true writer of science fiction and the future of humanity. His courage inspires me daily.
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I love the thought expressed in some of the condolences here to the effect that Neil deserves an immediate "transfer" from his earthly life to a new life in one of the fictional worlds he so carefully crafted, enjoying the boundless benefits of the sociopolitical principles he taught, along with the thrills of exploring and developing new frontiers! As one of the great stars of the libertarian expansion into online and other alternative media, he deserves no less. I treasure my memories of our times together. And, while I may never understand why he (more than once) chose to model a fictional character on me, I have no doubt the honor will outlast me! I'll miss you, Neil!
5
I read all of Neil's books, as far as I know. And I corresponded occasionally. Regret never meeting him, but no doubt he was an amazing man. I will miss him, and I know you will miss him far more.
On Sarah Hoyt's blog I wrote this: There are lots of excellent writers, and many of those excellent writers are SF writers. But I can think of only three in the past 100 years that are really good writers consistently able to wrap a message for freedom in such a good story that the reader is thoroughly entertained while quietly absorbing the message along with it. Those three are George Orwell, Robert A. Heinlein, and L. Neil Smith.
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Best wishes to the loved ones of a great man and a great libertarian. I'm far from the only one who learned a great deal from Neil, and enjoyed doing so in the pages of his novels, in his essays, and personally.
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Many years back I was at the edge of a tree-line South of Bill Williams Mountain, in Northern Arizona. Suddenly, shots rang out. In a meadow was a huge, old, bull elk, dieseling toward the safety of a tree-line far away. As he continued, he fell out of range of the shooter, and into that of a second. More shots. Out of range, again, and yet closer to that distant tree line, his front legs gave way. Down he went. Then, back up on his feet. He kept for his tree line. Two more shots, and he fell for the last time. Mere yards from those trees. Tines chipped and broken. Scars of battle in his hide. Teeth worn down to the gums. A valiant warrior, living on his own terms. Neil was, to me, that giant, tough, bull elk in the meadow. He almost made the tree line.
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2014, Fort Collins, CO, USA
In June of 2014, I produced and directed a production of the musical 1776, in which my dad played John Hancock. His only prior theatrical experience was a school production of Anastasia, and he never liked acting. The role of Hancock is fairly demanding, but he delivered, and I know that he did it for me. It was a huge expression of love and I’m grateful every day to have shared the stage with him.
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I never met or spoke to Mr. Smith, but he spoke to me. I have all his books from over the years. I will miss him.
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